Regal Correspondence
by Gumball2
Summary: Several moons after Twily's ascendance to Princess of Equestria, a new kingdom is born with a new Princess. Pinkie enjoys her new position very much (she still gets to be the Cakes go-to babysitter!). One day, Pinkie receives a very special letter from one of her old associates.


Pinkie gazed out her regal balcony at the low-hanging sun. As she rested her hoofs on the peppermint-striped ledge, her eyes softened as they made out the sphere's bright, yet bearable blaze. She basked in the light breeze blowing on her fur and enjoyed the lush mountains hugging the sides of the landscape.

"Princess,"

She calmly turned to see Pumpkin. Oh, how she had grown into a wonderful young mare. Even after accepting her crown and moving to her candy palace, Pinkie still thought of her precious niece and nephew as they grew up on Sugarcube Corner. Even now, the Cakes still saw her as the go-to babysitter for when they head out of town. But right then, the poor thing seemed hesitant, her head down and shoulders drooped. Her hoof clutched a small envelope.

"What's wrong?" Pinkie asked.

Pumpkin inched back. Her eyes briefly turned to the letter.

"You just got a letter from Princess Twily," she said.

"Oh," Pinkie said with a small smile, "hand it over."

Pumpkin obliged and gave her the document and ripped it open. Sure enough, it was written in Twily's neat hoofwriting (or horn writing, whatever alicorns called it).

_"Dear Princess Pinkie,_

_I was recently invited to the Equestria Giggle Guild's annual conference in Las Pegasus. I'm very excited to go, but I have just one problem. I don't know anything about comedy! The conference is missing something very important: You. I know you're busy these days with your duties as Princess of Pinkmania, but it would mean a lot to me if you could accompany me. Your insight would be highly valued. Plus, it'd be a lot of fun._

_Let me know your thoughts._

_Sincerely,_

_Princess Twily_

_P.S. If what I have to say isn't enough, you'd be happy to know that Cheese will also be in attendance."_

Pinkie gleefully smiled.

"Of course!" she exclaimed, surprising the forlorn filly.

"Is it something bad?" Pumpkin asked.

Bad? Pinkie burst into laughter, leaving the confused pony to reach out her hoof.

"Of course not, silly! Twily wants me to teach ponies how to make other ponies laugh and be their friends! And I get to make them laugh and make new friends too! Yay!"

"Soooooo, you're not mad?"

Pinkie chuckled some more and gave the filly a grin.

"Mad? Why would I be mad?"

"I mean, it's just...you and Twily haven't..." she paused and took a breath, "gotten along."

Pinkie's smile shrunk.

"Oh..." but just like that, it sprung back up, "but that's all in the past! Twily and I are friends again!"

"How, though? She used to be so mean to you. Like, really, really mean!"

It was true. Pinkie still remembered the images of being left out, being slighted, being yelled at. There were annoyances, there were tears, there were unanswered questions. But none of those things bothered her. She turned back to the sun and smiled.

"I know," Pinkie said, "but all ponies turn around at some point. Even on those really really really bad days, I always told myself that Twily just needed a good friend and time to change. It's like learning to bake cupcakes. Some ponies get it on the first try, but others just need to keep doing it."

She turned to face Pumpkin.

"Remember last year when Twily came to your birthday?" Pinkie said, "remember how she went up and did karaoke and she sang Happy Birthday to you."

"Yes," Pumpkin said nervously, inching back slightly.

"And then after, she ran over and gave you the biggest huggy wuggy ever," she said, swinging her own hoofs around her torso.

"Yes..."

Pinkie saw the filly's uncertainty and placed a hoof on her shoulder.

"I know you didn't believe it then, but she really meant that," Pinkie said, smiling, "and everyone she talked to, she had that glow in her eyes and her smile was real. Like, really real. And when I went up to hug her, she didn't treat me any different. I was a part of the pie!"

"I guess so...but why did she change? And how can you just...forget all the bad stuff?"

Pinkie sighed.

"You can't forget the bad stuff," she said lowly, "believe me, I've tried! But you can't stay stuck in the past because then, you'll miss out on all the good stuff happening right now! Twily has done a lot of growing up since becoming the Princess of Equestria. So have I. I mean, look at this crown," Pinkie pointed to her delicious chocolate crown, before turning back out to the balcony, "anypony can have a new sunrise. Starlight did, Cozy Glow did, and even Twily did."

Pumpkin wasn't sure what to think, but she saw by the natural smile on Pinkie's face that it was all true. Seeing Pinkie back on the ledge, she made her way over and placed her hooves on the high surface. The two saw the sun and then turned to each other.

"I love sunrises," Pumpkin said.

Pinkie smiled.

"Me too."


End file.
